Circuit continuing device



Aug. 15, 1933. I J. W T-r5 1,922,648

" CIRCUIT CONTINUING DEVICE Filed June 18 1930 Eva/72?;

Patented Aug. 15, 1933 CIRCUIT CONTINUING DEVICE Felix J. Watts, Bronson, Michigan, assignor to Harry A. Douglas, Bronson, Mich.

Application June 18, 1930. Serial No. 461,986

1 Claim.

My invention relates to circuit continuing device employed for establishing circuit con- 7 nections and inclusive of tubular connecting plug receiving members and strip metal contacts assembled therewith and having portions engageable by connecting plugs inserted within the jacks.

The invention has a number of objects and advantages in view. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the tubular member is provided with two shoulders distributed there along, the jack mounting and the strip metal contact being tightly held between these shoulders. Another circuit continuing contact is also desirably assembled with the mounting by one of the shoulders of the tubular member. In this way the firm mechanical assembly is afforded between the mounting and the three metallic parts of the jack which also assures firm electrical connection between the tubular member and the two strip metal contacts. The second strip metal contact forms part of a switch whose circuit is established by the jack and which has a contacting portion with which a complemental portion has separable engagement.

The invention will be more fully explained in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of the preferred embodiment of the invention, an associated switch structure being also included,

parts of the structure being shown in elevation and parts in section; Fig. 2 is a sectional View on line 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 2. I

The structure illustrated includes two spring jacks made in accordance with the invention.

Each of these spring jacks is inclusive of a tubular metallic member l adapted to receive a metallic connecting plug 2 within its bore. An electrical conductor 3 is passed through the insulating cover 4 into firm mechanical and electrical assembly with the plug and may be pulled upon to withdraw the plug. Each plug illustrated has an enlarged heel or flange 5 which limits the extent to which the plug may be inserted. Each plug also has an annular recess 6 formed in its tip and designed to engage the unmounted end of a plugengaging tip contact spring '7. Each such contact spring is formed of sufiiciently resilient strip metal, its plug engaging tip 8 passing through an opening 9 formed through the side of the corresponding tubular member 1. The contact tip 8 and the lateral opening 9 in the member 1 of each jack are positioned in the plane which is occupied by the annular groove 6 when the corresponding plug is in circuit closing position. A narrow edge instead of a broad ridge is presented by the contact 8 to the plug to insure bright and clean contacting surfaces. There is but slight lateral clearance between the contact tip 9 of each jack and the margin of the corresponding opening 9,

so that said tip is held in position to enter the groove 6 in the corresponding plug when this plug is sufliciently inserted.

The contact spring '7 of each jack is desirably assembled with the spring jackmounting 10 by means of the corresponding tubular member 1. To this end each contact member 7 is desirably shaped into angular formation as illustrated, there being an opening in each such contact through which the reduced end portion 11 of the corresponding tubular member is snugly passed. The reduction of one end of each tubular contact member results in the formation of a shoulder 12 between which and the mounting 10, the contact 7 is firmly gripped or clamped as by means of the shoulder 13 at the free end of each contact member and which is swedged over so as to exert the desired clamping pressure.

As illustrated, a switching mechanism is combined with the jacks, this switching member being inclusive of two strip metal contacts 14 which have angular anchored ends through which the reduced ends of the tubular members 1 pass and which are gripped between the shoulders 13 and the mounting 10. In the organization illustrated said mounting is made of insulating material and also constitutes a closure for a metallic cup 15, this cup having ears 16 which are clinched into engagement with said mounting. These ears pass through recesses in the mounting, the unrecessed portions of the mounting being clamped against the edge of the cup by said ears. This cup is shown as being assembled with a swinging door frame or door 17, the cup passing through an opening in the door frame or door and being assembled 100 with a mounting plate 18 which is fastened upon the door frame or door by screws 19. A button 20 projects through the cup and is positioned to be engaged by a door frame or door, as the case may be, when the door is shut to open the switch that is to be described, this switch being closed when the door is open to serve as an alarm, although the construction might be reversed so as to close the switch when the door is closed when the device is used in telephone booths, for example. The switch illustrated is inclusive of two contact springs 14 which are connected at their unmounted ends by a bridging contact member 21 which is mounted upon an insulating disc 22. This insulating disc is pressed by a coiled spring 23 which is housed in the cup 15 and has its ends pressing upon the mounting 10 and disc 22. This spring serves to engage the contact 21 with the unanchored ends of the contacts 14 when the button 20 is unpressed. When this button is pressed upon, the disc 22 is moved inwardly to separate the contact 21 from the contacts 14.

The structure of the spring jacks disclosed herein is disclosed and claimed in applicant's copending application, Serial No. 518,648, filed February 27, 1931.

Changes may be made without departing from the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a circuit continuing device, the combination with a metallic cup; of an insulating mounting forming a closure for one end of the cup; two tubular jacks carried by the mounting and extending in parallel upon the exterior of the cup, each jack receiving the connecting plug of a current conducting wire; two flexible metallic contact members carried by the mounting within the cup and each anchored at one end to one of the jacks to be in circuit with one of the said wires; an insulating disc in the cup, said contact members having their unanchored ends passing slidably through the insulating disc and having the terminations of said ends turned in a direction to lap a face of said disc; a bridging member carried by the said face of said disc and engageable with the terminations of the first mentioned contacts to provide an electrical bridge therebetween; a coil spring disposed between the insulating mounting and the insulating disc annularly of the control members but spaced therefrom and normally pressing the bridging member against the contact terminations; and a button slidably carried by the end of the cup opposite the insulating mounting and abutting the disc annularly of the contact members but spaced therefrom, said button being movable inwardly of the cup for separating said bridging member from the said terminations to discontinue a circuit therethrough.

FELIX J. WATTS. 

